A Few Favorite Nature Quotes

Photo: John Williams

There are some great quotes in The Nature of Bend—lyrical lines from John Muir and funny stuff from Mark Twain and others. Even Franz Kafka makes an appearance (talking about squirrels of all things). 

But there are a lot more quotes that didn't make the cut, usually because there wasn't enough room. Here are a few of my favorites, including a few by local folks:

“No one will ever be able to tell me that there isn’t power in mountains, glowing sunsets, owls, flowers, beetles, whales, little children, and you and me.” — Jim Anderson (local naturalist in his book, Tales from a Northwest Naturalist)

"If my brain were made of dynamite, I still couldn’t blow my nose." — Jim Anderson again (who else?)

“Nobody sees a flower—really—it is so small it takes time—we haven't time—and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” — Georgia O'Keeffe

"When I get to know a new place my world gets bigger. I see beauty that makes my heart sing." — Sage Clegg (thru-hiker, known for being the first to hike the Oregon Desert Trail, as quoted in 1859 magazine)

“The more often we see the things around us—even the beautiful and wonderful things—the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds—even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.” — Joseph B. Wirthli